Out and About – Week of December 1st

If you are one of those who made New Year’s resolutions twelve months ago, you have less than a month to hold on to them. Congratulations to those of you who held on to those convictions. If you lost the weight you resolved to do, or if you paid more attention to your family and less attention to those things that didn’t matter that much, or that you couldn’t change, I commend you. I rarely make resolutions for the upcoming year, because I have a very small attention span. I did manage to lose some weight, which resulted in my not having to inject insulin into my system every day. My blood sugar is now under control, but that was not a resolution. I seriously wanted to feel better. I still have some weight I want to get rid of, so if there’s anyone out there in need, please let me know.
I retired from professional driving over four years ago. One of the reasons I did this is because I found myself having less and less patience with other drivers. There are some drivers out there who are too busy doing other things and don’t have time to concentrate on their driving. I hate cell phones, but I have one and I don’t know what I’d do without it. If I were “King”, I’d suspend the license of any driver caught using a cell phone while driving a vehicle. It’s a fact that if you’re using a cell phone and driving, you might as well be driving drunk, because your attention is not on the task at hand. I won’t even go into the act of “texting” while driving. Ooops! I forgot. No one texts while they’re driving, because it’s against the law.
Drivers who don’t use their turn signals also upset me. I must admit that I am guilty as charged, because more than once I have failed to signal my intentions. My wife reminds me of this whenever I make this mistake. I found this on Facebook and thought I’d share it with you. Not many people know this, but your car has a secret device on it called an “indicator”. If you look at your steering column, you’ll find a secret stick, which will activate a flashing light on the outside of your car. It flashes to let other drivers know which direction you’re thinking of going. Upon further investigation, I found that the more expensive vehicles, especially the SUVs, don’t come equipped with this safety device. If they did, I’m sure the owner would use it. Sorry for the sarcasm, but I offer it at times, free of charge.
While on the subject, I’d like to mention a couple other safety items. We’re probably going to have a few more days of inclement weather. If you find yourself driving in “whiteout” conditions, please remember to turn on your headlights. It might be daylight, but having your lights on will make it easier for other drivers to see you. Finally, most cars come with cruise control these days. They might not have turn signals, but they do have cruise control. It has been recommended that if you’re driving on snow-covered or icy roads, do not use your cruise control. You’ll find that you have better control of your vehicle this way. You may still use your turn signals, if your vehicle does come equipped with these handy devices. The soap box has now been put away.
Congratulations to those of you who ventured out on “Black Friday”and returned home unhurt. I’ve heard that there were some shoppers out there who have the reputation of taking no prisoners. I’ve never understood why some shoppers subject themselves to this inhuman treatment. It’s been rumored that there are some merchants who raise their prices around the beginning of November. They then mark them down to where they belong the day after Thanksgiving. What a deal! What a savings!
Need a laugh or two? Here are a few facts that might make you chuckle:
You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching TV.
Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.
It takes approximately twenty minutes for your brain to know that your stomach is full.\
See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman